Makes the case for peaceful applications of "nuclear science" (atomic energy) in industry, medicine and botany.

Produced with the cooperation of Encyclopedia Britannica Films, Inc. Paramount News, U.S. Information Agency and U.S. Atomic Energy Commission


This movie is part of the collection: Prelinger Archives

Production Company: Encyclopedia Britannica Films
Audio/Visual: sound, b&w
Keywords: need keyword

Creative Commons license: Public Domain

Individual Files

Write a review
Downloaded 3,897 times Reviews
Average Rating:

Reviewer: Christine Hennig - - August 30, 2003
Subject: Atoms for Peace
The peaceful uses of atomic energy are shown in this 50s film, with a focus on using radioactive isotopes as triggers. This is dull, dull, dull, folks, though it does leave you with the disturbing feeling after awhile that they're trying to make everything radioactive. No downside of atomic energy is portrayed, as usual.
Ratings: Camp/Humor Value: **. Weirdness: *. Historical Interest: ****. Overall Rating: **.

Reviewer: Spuzz - - August 23, 2003
Subject: First you find peace, then you die.
This piece about the many happy go lucky ways one can use Atoms is pretty much blinded by the mouth opening ways of how people handled atomic infused articles. I mean using a long stick isnt going to help much. Aside from that, this is a slightly boring piece about the research that is going on to run everything in the future on Atoms! Fairly scientific mumbo jumbo, the sound is really low as well.

Reviewer: Roland Deschain - - August 17, 2003
Subject: Atoms are safe and good for you, okay!
"The peaceful atom" we are told has plenty of justified uses in the world. Because this film is primarily out to try to prove this point, there's no mushroom clouds to be seen here (or talk of military for that matter). Instead you see industry uses with benefits for the everyday man/woman/child.

A lab guy handles dangerous isotopes safely, the kind of safely where the only thing between him and deadly radiation is a pair of pliers. And when not in use, people are protected from deadly radiation by placing the isotopes in lead containers, because clearly lead is no harm to us.

It goes on to explain how tagged atoms are used to identify oil. I have no idea as to if this is true nowadays, or if it ever actually happened as it seems a little way out an idea.

There's a few more uses for radiation shown, some are scary to think might actually still be used.

Good historical content comes in the shape of the initial operation of the first nuclear power plant, which is quite interesting.

Atomic farmers with radioactive crops are promoted. One guy drinks a 'safe' radioactive iodine atomic cocktail for a medical test. A cobalt teratherapy unit (sp) is used on a guy, using "a sharp effective beam of atomic radiation" which doesn't hurt good tissue, just cancer cells.

After watching this you seriously doubt the claims they make about just how great radiation is for us all.